I-710 Corridor Project

The Long Beach Freeway (I-710) is a vital transportation artery, linking the Port of Long Beach to the rest of Southern California and beyond. It serves both commuters and goods movement, and it is an essential component of the regional, statewide and national transportation system. However, population and economic growth has strained the freeway’s aging infrastructure and the I-710 has serious congestion and safety issues.

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) is heading a regional effort to study the potential environmental impacts of improvement projects on the corridor. The Port of Long Beach is one of several agencies funding the study. Click on map for larger view.

The Environmental Planning Process

The I-710 Corridor Project Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS) will study 18 miles of the I-710 freeway between the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles and the Pomona Freeway (SR-60). The study area encompasses 15 cities and unincorporated areas in Los Angeles County adjacent to the freeway corridor. The Notice of Preparation (NOP) and Notice of Intent (NOI) for initiation of the EIR/EIS were published on August 15, 2008, followed by public scoping meetings. Four alternatives are being analyzed in the EIR/EIS:

• No Build: The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) require that agencies consider a no build alternative as a baseline. In this case, the No Build Alternative consists of those transportation projects that are already programmed and/or committed to be constructed by or before the study’s planning horizon year of 2035.

• Ten Lane Facility: Widen the freeway to ten lanes throughout the length of the corridor, including through the freeway-to-freeway interchanges, and modernize its design.

• Ten Lanes and Four Separate Freight Lanes: Widen the freeway to ten general purpose lanes throughout the length of the corridor and add four separated freight movement lanes for exclusive use by conventional trucks.

• Freight Lanes Dedicated to Zero Emissions Trucks: Includes all the improvements in the previous alternative, but requires use of zero-emission technology to move goods in the freight lanes.